Bush said, "An effective multinational force will help speed delivery of humanitarian relief, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and support the Lebanese government as it asserts full sovereignty over its territory and guards its borders."

Bush said he planned to appeal to the United Nations "for a Chapter 7 resolution setting out a clear framework for cessation of hostilities on an urgent basis, and mandating the multinational force."

British diplomats have been talking about a cease-fire followed by deployment of an international border force, CNN's Robin Oakley reported. Then a second stage would begin, involving a larger border force that would also help with disarming Hezbollah and establishing a greater role for Lebanese government forces.

Friday's Washington meeting follows an Italian conference of key Middle East decision-makers that failed to agree on an immediate cease-fire as the United States, backed by Britain, insisted any halt to violence should be linked to a wider effort to disarm Hezbollah. (Full story)

A senior U.N. diplomat has described the mood at those talks as somber. He said all the parties but the United States wanted an immediate cessation of fighting to make room for more negotiations and humanitarian aid.

Rice argued that taking such an approach would leave Hezbollah in place and armed with rockets.

Before the Rome meeting, Rice visited the Lebanese capital, as well as Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Blair, meanwhile, faces pressure at home to salvage his diplomatic reputation after an eavesdropped conversation between him and Bush at a recent Group of Eight summit appeared to show the British prime minister's deferential relationship with the U.S. leader.

Since the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Lebanese guerrillas, Blair has put himself at odds with Arab nations and Britain's European allies by refusing to call for an immediate cease-fire -- echoing U.S. policy.

Like Bush, Blair has said a cease-fire will work only if conditions are first put in place to ensure that both sides keep it.

After meeting with Bush, Blair is to travel to California -- the first official visit to the state by a sitting prime minister, according to the British consulate in San Francisco. He will discuss issues such as globalization, trade and biotechnology.

I see the anti-semities are still alive and well on this board. Thank God you guys are not running the show. Maybe you can get your Congressman to introduce a bill that will fund terrorists, Syrians, and Iranians in their fight against Israel. Get a clue. We have one friend in the Middle East. It is Israel, the only democracy in the area.

I see the anti-semities are still alive and well on this board. Thank God you guys are not running the show. Maybe you can get your Congressman to introduce a bill that will fund terrorists, Syrians, and Iranians in their fight against Israel. Get a clue. We have one friend in the Middle East. It is Israel, the only democracy in the area.

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Actually, it's more like the jews have one friend in the world. There's a reason for that.

I see the anti-semities are still alive and well on this board. Thank God you guys are not running the show. Maybe you can get your Congressman to introduce a bill that will fund terrorists, Syrians, and Iranians in their fight against Israel. Get a clue. We have one friend in the Middle East. It is Israel, the only democracy in the area.

Click to expand...

"Not doing Israel's dirty work" is not quite the same as "funding terrorists", or for that matter, antisemitism.

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